St. Paul daily globe., 1887-08-15
LOUIsA's LUCKY PLUNGE.


She Plays the Races With the
PrOyerbial Luck of Beginner.
Indianapolis Journal.
A young bride was calling with a
friend, and at more than one house
found other friends who had been to
the races. Enhancing were the stories
they told of backing the winners. Now,
Louisa had never been to the races in
her life, and that very night she asked
her husband if he would not take her. :.
"NOw who has been putting that into
your head?' asked John, brusquely.
. s'Why, 1 don't know, John, DEAR"
said Louisa, ''but everybody seems to
go, and l want to. want to back the
winners"
The next scene is at Sheepshead Bay.
Three races have been run, and Louisa
is intensely interested, not only in the
events, but in the scenes around her.
She has kept her eyes open, and has no
tlced that ladies near her send money
away in the hands of boys in uniform,
and that the boys return with tickets,
|; which the ladies put in their bags. She
has pleaded with her husband to let her
bet just once on race, but he has for
bidden it so sternly that she dares not
speak of it again. But John has left his
seat after each race and not returned
until the next one is about to be run.
In her innocent little head has crept
the idea that John is betting on the
races, and she longs to know what his
fortune has been. By the time the third
race has been run she has grown into
fever of excitement over project
which she feared to execute. She would
take advantage of his absence and bet
for herself secretly. John looked very
dark at the conclusion of the third
race, and ground his teeth as he made
answer to his wife's innocent question
that he had rather hoped such a horse
would win, for he knew the jockey.
'He is telling white lie," thought
bright Louisa, ''and | will get even
with him." But it seemed as if John
would never get up and disappear as he
had before. In fact, John was wonder
ing whether he would take a hnal
plunge with what he had left. He de-
cided that he would go out to the betting
pavilion, at all events, and see how the
odds were running, and it is unneceS-
as he had gone Louisa was thrown into
rage of excitement and doubt. The
color mounted hot to her cheeks, and
her heart thumped like typewriter as
with supreme impulse she beckoned
to boy. It was the last change.
"Here," she exclaimed, producing
some bills from the purse. lake this
and bet it for me-"
''Who on?" asked the boy, stolidly re-
ceiying the money and counting 1t.
There was $50.
80, dearH whispered Louisa 81 don't
know anything about horses. You
know, don't yOu?'
"Well," said the boy, scratching his
head, ''they are givin' 2 to on lchl Ban
and to on PocomOke, but / think it's
a race for short horse, myself"
'But can't short horse run as fast
as a long one?" asked Louisa, in sur
prise.
.'Well." said the boy, ''that depends;
but am backing Ovid, and you can get
Is to on him."
"Well, well, hurry along, and do what
you think best, only put it somewhere,
and don't let anybody know"
The boy disappeared, and presently
John came back. She looked at him
furtively to see if he suspected any
thing, but Johns face was like that OF a
sphinx. The boy returned, too, and
slipped piece Of paper into L0uiSa'S
hand without attracting attention. She
hastily thrust it into her purse, feeling
wofully guilty. The race was run, and
it would be hard to say which was the
more excited. When it was over John
said awkardly, Louisa. you brought
some money on the track, with you'
didn't yOu"'
"YeS dear" she replied family, feel
ing that the storm was coming.
Il guess you'd better let me have it, }"
he said.
''To tell the truth, [ have got rid of
mine, A friend told me that race was
coming a certain way; he wanted me to
back it-and-I did so, and it's gone
wrong, you know; such things will
sometimes occur" and his courage re-
turned as he he got the confession out
of his mouth.
Louisa trembled. 81 haven't got the
money, john" she faltered; IL
spent It,"
1.-The devil you did," exclaimed John
ungallantly. ''Humph! I'd like to know
how we are gong to get home, to say
nothing of having anything to eat, and
he relapsed into silence.
of penitent 1t took more nerve than
it had to bet her money to put her hand
in her bag, produce her ticket, and pass
it to John, saying family: perhaps
this is worth something. They might
give you back the money if you told
them about it"
John did not hear the last part of her
sentence. He was staring hard at bit
of pastebOard, and all he could say was:
s'HOw in thunder did you come to play
that horSe?" Then before Louisa could
say word he turned upon her, held the
cardboard before her face, and ex-
claimed: ''Have you the slightest idea
how much this is wOrth?''
NO" she answered, repressing sob.
81 didn't mean to, and | won't do it
again; l won't, truly, and l don't want
to come to the races again"
"WelI," he assented, Il don't think
you'd better. for this play was about the
most absurd that could be made, but it
just happens that this particular ticket
is worth S540."
They had a pretty good dinner.